Integrated circuits are commonly packaged by mounting the IC chip on a rectangular insulating substrate having conductors on one surface thereof which extend to the marginal side portions of the substrate. The terminal areas of the integrated circuit chip are electrically connected to these conductors so that connections can then be made to external circuitry by mounting the IC package in a connector containing contact terminals which engage the terminal pads on the substrate.
A commonly used type of connector for IC packages of the type described above is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,383 and comprises a generally rectangular insulating housing having contact terminals therein which engage the terminal pads of the substrate when the substrate is positioned and clamped against one face of the housing. A clamping lid is provided on the housing which serves to firmly clamp the substrate against the contact terminals thereby to ensure that each contact terminal will bear against its associated pad on the substrate with a force sufficient to ensure a good electrical connection. The clamping lids in many instances are hinged to the connector housing so that the integrated circuit can easily be placed in, or removed from, the connector and a latching means is provided on the housing for maintaining the lid in its closed position on the housing.
The clamping force exerted by the clamping lid on the substrate is extremely high relative to the size of the substrate and the connector housing and the latching means must therefore be capable of maintaining the clamping lid in its closed position notwithstanding the fact that the latching means itself is of extremely small size. Known types of latching means for clamping lids of connectors will function adequately if they are carefully manufactured and installed on the connector housing, and if they are handled carefully by the technician when an integrated circuit package is placed in or removed from the connector. However, the commonly used types of latches for connector clamping lids, such as the latching means disclosed in the above identified U.S. Patent, will not withstand careless or abusive handling and are easily damaged when an IC package is placed in, or removed from, the connector if the technician does not exercise a high degree of care. If the latch is damaged, it may be completely incapable of latching the lid to the housing, or it may be damaged to the extent that its effectiveness in clamping the lid to the housing is reduced so that as a result of subsequent vibration or other physical disturbance, such as jarring, it may release its grip upon the clamping lid and thereby result in failure of the apparatus with which the IC package is being used.
The present invention is directed to an improved latching means and an IC connector clamping lid which is capable of withstanding abusive handling, which is not easily damaged, and which, if damaged as the result of gross abuse, will fail completely so that it will immediately be apparent that it must be replaced.
A latching means in accordance with the present invention comprises a stamped and formed sheet metal member mounted on one side of the connector housing adjacent to the IC package receiving face of the housing. An ear extends normally of the IC receiving face and a pair of latch arms extend in opposite directions from this ear along the side of the housing. The free ends of these arms are inwardly formed so that they overlie, but are spaced from, the IC receiving face of the housing. The arms are of sheet metal, as mentioned above, and are disposed in a plane which extends normally of the plane of the IC receiving face of the connector so that these arms can therefore easily be flexed away from the connector housing, that is, they can be flexed normally of their own planes, but they are highly resistant to flexure in a direction parallel to their planes. The edges of the free ends of the arms thus serve as latches for the lid, since these edges extend over the marginal portions of the lid when it is in covering relationship to an IC package in the connector. The ease with which the arms can be flexed normally on their own planes facilitates placement of an IC package in the connector and removal of the package from the connector.